Rice-hulling machine.



*entre srafrns rainer eric.

RUSIA W. WELCH, OF IBALTIIVIGRE, MARYLAND, ASSGNOR OF @NE-HALF 'IO JOHNTOWNSEND BURIVELL, @E MILLW'OOD, VIRGXNIA,

IRICE-HULLI'NG MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application led November 15, 1912. Serial No. 731,462.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Rosin W. l/VnLoH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Rice-Hulling Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

capability Aof expansion and contraction,

whereby to increase or lessen the annular space between the cylinder andthe inclosing case. It is well known that the grains of cereals such asrice, and oats, vary as to size; the produce of one eld may be grain oflarge size and of another field the same kind of grain may be smaller.By providing for slight expansion of the case, the machine may be set todo effective work in removing the skin of large grain, and by con- Ytracting the case the machine may be set to do' effective work for smallgrain.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,-

Figure 1, shows an elevation of the machine in which one vertical halfof the machine is shown in section, and the other half shows theexterior view. Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section of the machine on theline 2-2 of Fig.f1. Fig. 3 shows in detail piece of inner concavesurface of wall, 11, and the bur at the punched holes. Fig. 4 is adetail view of the outside case adjuster.

The frame comprises four posts, 1, held together by bottom cross-bars,2, and top, 3; a step-bearing, 4, is at the bottomv and a bearing, 5, atthe top, and a vertical shaft, 6, is revoluble in these bearings. Arevoluble cylinder, 7 having a closed top head, 8, and a metal spiderbottom, 9, is secured to the shaft, 6, and revolves therewith. Theexterior circumferential wall of the cylinder, 7, is covered withsheep-skin having bent wire teeth, 10, of well-known constructionsimilar to the cards used in combing wool and cotton in textilemanufacture. These teeth are spring-teeth, and all the teeth point ortrend in a direction reverse to the direction which it is intended thecylinder shall revolve, as indicated by darts in Fig. 2.

A cylindric case, 11, incloses the revoluble cylinder, 7, and this caseis supported by the frame and does not revolve. The sheetmetal wall, 11,is punched from the outer surface to form numerous holes, 40, and

each hole thus made produces a bur 41, see

Fig. 3, on the concave inner surface, 12; the bur is something like thaton a tin colander.

Between the projecting ends of the wire teeth, 10, on the cylinder, andthe concave wall ofthe case, 11, an annular space, 13, is formed. Animportant feature of the invention is the provision shown and presentlyto be described, for expanding and contracting the inclosing case, 11,so as to increase or diminish the size of the annular space referred to.

To give the cylindric case the capability of expanding and contractingit is made in several sections which are separated vertically. lfn thepresentV instance the case is shown made in four sections, a, c, al. Thefour sections or segments are separated from each other by a verticalcrack or space, 14, and a thin strip, 15, of sheet-metal on the innerwallsV of the segments overlaps said crack or space; this strip shouldbe securely fastened to one segment only, and should bridge over thesaid space, 14, and lie close in contact with the inner surface of thenext segment but should not be fastened thereto, being free or loose. Bythis arrangement, which will be readily understood, the spaces, 14,between the segments will be increased when the case is expandedv andwill be lessened when the case is contracted, but at all times the thinstrips, 15, on the inside will close the spaces. Each of the foursegments stands on its end the weight thereof being supported on acircular base, 16, and ball-bearings, 17, may be employed to sustain thesegments and facilitate the slight movement they make when expanding orcontracting.

Horizontal curved bars, 18, connect between the posts, 1, and these barsform a circle outside of the segments; there are curved bars near thebottom and also near the top. Each segment of the case, 11, has twobolts, 19, secured to its outside at both the top and bottom and thebolts project outward radially. The bolts pass freely yments of thecase.

'is compressed between the curved bar and a nut on the bolt. The effectof these springs is to force the segment sections outwardly or to causethe expansion of the inclosing case, 11. This expansion of the caseincreases the width of the annular space, 13, where the grain istreated.

. Themeans for contracting the caseicomprise two or more steel bands,21, which surround the four segments like a hoop except that each bandhas two ends that are unjoined; one of these bands is above thelowermost curved bar, 18, andthe other band is below the uppermostcurved bar, 18. When the lower and rupper bands are both drawn tightlythey serve to compress the four segn the present instance the bands, 21,when drawn, press not directly against the exterior wall of the segmentsbut, against friction rollers, 22, which are secured on the said walls.To simultaneously tighten both of these bands, 21, a vertical shaft, 23,is mounted in bearings, 24, and, 25, on the frame and outsidey of thecase, 11. This shaft turns only partially backward and forward. Across-head, 26, seen in Fig. 4 is lixed on the shaft; one of thesecross-heads being on a level with the upper band, 21, and the othercrosshead on a level with thelower band. y

One end of the steel band, 21, is secured in a suitable manner to oneend of the crosshead, 26, and the other end of the same steel`hand-lever, 2'?, which carries a set-screw, 28.

A horizontal curved bar extends between two of the posts, 1, and belowthe lever, and

Vthis bar has a curved slot, 30, through which the said set-screw, 28,passes. By` swinging the hand lever, 27, either totighten or loosen thetwo steel bands, 21, the set-screw will traverse the curved slot, 30,and when the lever has. .been placed in the desired position theset-screw, 28, may be tightened and will then hold the lever frommovement.

At the top of the machiney case is a hopper, 31, which will deliverthegrain so as ,to ad mit it down the annular' space, 13,while theinterior cylinder, 7, is revolving. The action of the spring, teeth, 10,whichproject from the wallof the revoluble cylinder into the annularspace, .13, together with the counter action of the burs, 41, on theconcave surface of the case removes the skinV from the rice or othergrain, and the hulled grain, mixed with the hulls, discharge togetherfrom a spout, 32, at the bottom. The hulled grain may then be separatedfrom the loose hulls by another machine.

The numerous holes, 40, in the case serve for the formation of the burs,41,' they provide for the escape of dust, they prevent the -case itselffrom becoming heated, and also avoid heating of the riceV grains.

The cylinder, 7, is driven by a belt (not Shown) placed over a pulley,33, fixed onthe vertical shaft, 6.

From the foregoing ,description the operation will be readilyunderstood.

lVhile the improved machinehas been de scribed as useful for the purposeof hulling or decorticating grain, it is also, useful for polishinggrain. The only modification that wouldbe required to adapt the machine,for either hulling the grain, orfor polishing the grain after it hasbeen hulled, is inthe character of the exterior rubbing surface on therevoluble cylinder and theinterior surface on the case. `All thefeatures in the machine that have ,anything to do withthe expansion lo rcontraction of the case, may

Vbe used ,in machines for treating grain otherwise than hulling, and theappended claims are meant to coversame.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patentis:l y

c 1. 1n a machine for treating rice, the

combination of an uprightrevoluble cylinder; a cylindriccasecompletelyinclosing said cylinder .and comprisinga plural number ofsegmental Vsections separatedvertically from each other and standing ontheir ends .and each section free, to move loutwardly or inwardly Vtoexpand and contract the case;.spri ngs to cause the segmentalsections ofthe ca se to movei expansively; flexible bands exteriorly surrounding'all of said case-sections, one band being around the lower part of thecase and another band around the upper,- part,` and means c0nnected withthe ends of said band or bands to draw them, and thereby overcome theexpansive veffect of the said springs and compressthe saidcase-sections.

2. In a machine for treating, grain, the

, combination of an upright revolublecylinder; a lcylindric casecompletely inclosing said cylinderand comprising a plural number ofYsegmental sections each free to move either ,outwardly or inwardly toexpand. or contract the case; means to cause the said segmental sectionsto move expansively; two flexible bandsexteriorly surrounding all of.said case-sections-one band being at the lower partand the other bandatithe upper part; a shaft outside of the vcase yand parallel with theaxis of said revoluble cylinder and capable of turning, and twocross-heads xed on said shaft-one of which is secured to the ends of oneof said iexible bands, and the other cross-head secured to the ends ofthe other flexible band, whereby upon turning the said shaft the ends ofboth flexible bands will be simultaneously drawn and the case sectionscontracted.

3. In a machine for treating grain, the combination of an uprightrevoluble cylinder; a oylindrie Case completely inolosing said Cylinderand comprising a plural number of segmental sections each free to moveeither outwardly or inwardly to expand or contract the oase; horizontalcurved bars the expansive effect of the springs and contract the saidcase-sections.

In testimony whereofl ai'lix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

K ROSIA W. WELCH.

Witnesses: i l v CHAS. B. MANN, G. FERD. VOGT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

